was the Imperial
during the
Asuka period
The was a period in the history of Japan lasting from 538 to 710 (or 592 to 645), although its beginning could be said to overlap with the preceding Kofun period. The Yamato polity evolved greatly during the Asuka period, which is named after t ...
(538 – 710 AD), which takes its name from this place. It is located in the present-day village of
Asuka, Nara Prefecture.
Etymology
Some of the many theories of what the place was named after include the bird
common crossbill
The red crossbill or common crossbill (''Loxia curvirostra'') is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae. Crossbills have distinctive mandibles, crossed at the tips, which enable them to extract seeds from conifer cones and other ...
, or ''isuka'' in Japanese, or local geological features, e.g. 洲処 (''suka'', meaning sandbar, sandbank or delta) or 崩地 (''asu'') + 処 (''ka''). Or it may have been named in honor of Asuka (or Ashuku) Nyorai, the Japanese equivalent of
Akshobhya
Akshobhya ( sa, अक्षोभ्य, ''Akṣobhya'', "Immovable One"; ) is one of the Five Wisdom Buddhas, a product of the Adibuddha, who represents consciousness as an aspect of reality. By convention he is located in the east of the ...
, one of the Five Buddhas of Wisdom, who is still worshiped in
Asuka-dera
, also known as , is a Buddhist temple in Asuka, Nara. Asuka-dera is regarded as one of the oldest temples in Japan.
Temple complex
A number of records refer to the origin of the temple, such as the '' Nihongi'' and ''Fusō-ryakuki''. The o ...
(Asuka Temple), the Asuka-niimasu-jinja (the shrine for his manifestation as a Shinto god), and several other structures from those days.
Archaeology
Archaeology
Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscap ...
projects continue to uncover relics from these ruins. Recent discoveries in the area include
Wado coins, believed to be some of the oldest coins in Japan, and paintings in the
Kitora and
Takamatsuzuka Kofun
are megalithic tombs or tumuli in Northeast Asia. ''Kofun'' were mainly constructed in the Japanese archipelago between the middle of the 3rd century to the early 7th century CE.岡田裕之「前方後円墳」『日本古代史大辞典』 ...
, or tombs.
The
Ishibutai Kofun is also located in Asuka. On March 12, 2004, the discovery of the remains of a residence's main building adjacent to the kofun was announced. It is likely that the residence belonged to
Soga no Umako
was the son of Soga no Iname and a member of the powerful Soga clan of Japan.
Umako conducted political reforms with Prince Shōtoku during the rules of Emperor Bidatsu and Empress Suiko and established the Soga clan's stronghold in the go ...
, who is believed to have been entombed in the kofun.
Access
Asuka can be reached from either
Okadera Station
is a railway station located in Kashihara, Nara, Japan.
The station was named after Oka-dera, a Buddhist temple located east of the station. However, the temple recommends visitors use Kashiharajingū-mae Station for bus connections since the ...
or
Asuka Station
is a railway station located in Asuka, Takaichi, Nara, Japan, on the Kintetsu Railway Yoshino Line.
Lines
* Kintetsu Railway
** Yoshino Line
Platforms and tracks
Surroundings
*
*Takamatsuzuka Tomb
*Ishibutai Kofun
*Oni no Manaita, On ...
on the
Kintetsu ''Kintetsu'' is the abbreviation of , or Kintetsu Railway, a Japanese railway corporation.
It may also refer to:
Companies
* Kintetsu Group Holdings, the holding corporation of the Kintetsu Railway
** Kintetsu Bus, a bus company and a subsidiary ...
train line, or by car on Route 169.
Imperial palaces
In the
Asuka period
The was a period in the history of Japan lasting from 538 to 710 (or 592 to 645), although its beginning could be said to overlap with the preceding Kofun period. The Yamato polity evolved greatly during the Asuka period, which is named after t ...
, various palaces were constructed for each monarch. As soon as one emperor died, the whole court moved to a newly constructed palace, since it was considered dangerous to remain in a place where a deceased monarch's spirit might reside. Sometimes even during a single emperor's reign, palaces were changed multiple times due to destruction by fire or ill omens. Since these palaces were entirely constructed from wood, none of them have survived, although some archaeological work in modern times has uncovered such remains as stone bases for pillars.
Sakurai was briefly the
during the reign of
Emperor Ingyō
was the 19th legendary Emperor of Japan, Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 允恭天皇 (19) retrieved 2013-8-28. according to the traditional order of succession.
No firm dates can be assigned to this Emperor's life or reign, but he is ...
. The life of the Imperial court was centered at the Palace of ''Tohotsu'' where the emperor lived in 457–479. Other emperors also built palaces at Asuka, including
* ''Chikatsu-Asuka-Yatsuri'' Palace, 485–487 in reign of
Emperor Kenzō
(450 — 2 June 487) was the 23rd legendary Emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 顕宗天皇 (23) retrieved 2013-8-29. according to the traditional order of succession.
No firm dates can be assigned to this Emperor's lif ...
* ''Shikishima no Kanasashi'' Palace, 540–571 in reign of
Emperor Kinmei
was the 29th Emperor of Japan, Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 欽明天皇 (29) retrieved 2013-8-22. according to the traditional order of succession. Titsingh, Isaac. (1834)pp. 34–36 Brown, Delmer. (1979) ''Gukanshō,'' pp. 261– ...
* ''Toyura'' Palace or ''Toyura-no-miya'', 593–603
[Asuka Historical Museum]
Palaces of the Asuka Period,"
1995; retrieved 2011-11-25. in the reign of
Empress Suiko
(554 – 15 April 628) was the 33rd monarch of Japan, Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 推古天皇 (33)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession.
Suiko reigned from 593 until her death in 628.
In the history of Japan ...
[Ponsonby-Fane, p. 20.]
* ''Oharida'' Palace or ''Oharida-no-miya'', 603–629
in the Suiko's reign
* ''Okamoto'' Palace or ''Okamoto-no-miya'', 630–636
in the reign of
Emperor Jomei[Ponsonby-Fane, p. 21.]
* ''Tanaka'' Palace, 636–40
* ''Umayasaka'' Palace, 640
In 640–642, the Imperial court briefly moved to the ''Kudara'' Palace in
Kōryō, Nara
is a town located in Kitakatsuragi District, Nara Prefecture, Japan. It served as Japan's temporary capital from 640-642 AD, the Kudara Palace. ''Kudara'' is a reference to the Korean kingdom of Baekje and "Koryo" is a reference to Korea. H ...
; then the emperor returned to Asuka where he lived at
* ''Oharida'' Palace, 642–643
* ''Itabuki'' Palace or ''Itabuki no miya'', 643–645
in the reign of
Empress Kōgyoku
, also known as , was the 35th and 37th monarch of Japan,Kunaichō 斉明天皇 (37)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession.
Kōgyoku's reign spanned the years from 642 to 645. Her reign as Saimei encompassed 655 to 661. In other ...
In 645–654, the court moved to the
''Naniwa Nagara-Toyosaki'' Palace in
Osaka
is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of 2. ...
; then the capital moved back to Asuka when the emperor lived at
* ''Itabuki'' Palace, 655–655
in the reign of
Emperor Kōtoku
was the 36th emperor of Japan, Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 孝徳天皇 (33)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession.
The years of his reign lasted from 645 through 654.
Traditional narrative
Before Kōtoku's ascen ...
* ''Kawahara'' Palace or ''Kawahara-no-miya'', 655–655
* ''Okamoto'' Palace or ''Nochi no Asuka-Okamoto-no-miya'', 656–660
in the reign of
Empress Saimei
An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife ( empress consort), mother ( e ...
[Ponsonby-Fane, p. 24.]
In 661–667, the court moved to the ''Tachibana no Hironiwa'' Palace (661–67) in
Asakura, Fukuoka
is a city located in south central Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan, on Kyūshū Island.
The modern city of Asakura was established on March 20, 2006, from the merger of the former town of Asakura (from Asakura District), absorbing the city of Amag ...
. Then the court moved again to the ''Ōmi'' Palace or ''Ōtsu'' Palace (667–72) in Ōmi-kyō (today
Ōtsu, Shiga). Once more, the court moved back to Asuka at
* ''Kiyomihara'' Palace or ''Kiomihara-no-miya'', 672–694
in the reign of
Emperor Tenmu[Ponsonby-Fane, p. 26.] and in the reign of
Empress Jitō
was the 41st monarch of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 持統天皇 (41)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession.
Jitō's reign spanned the years from 686 through 697.Titsingh, Isaac. (1834).
In the history of ...
[Ponsonby-Fane, p. 27.]
Asuka was abandoned by
Empress Jitō
was the 41st monarch of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 持統天皇 (41)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession.
Jitō's reign spanned the years from 686 through 697.Titsingh, Isaac. (1834).
In the history of ...
when she and her court moved to
Fujiwara-kyō.
See also
*
The 100 Views of Nature in Kansai This is a list of 100 views of nature decided upon by the "Kansai Global Environment Forum" in Japan for their natural beauty, history and cultural significance.
Summary
See also
* List of Historic Sites of Japan (Ōsaka)
References
{{reflist
...
External links
* Asuka Historical Museum
exterior view
References
*
{{coord, 34, 28, 56, N, 135, 48, 47, E, display=title, region:JP-29_type:landmark_source:dewiki
Cities in Nara Prefecture
Former capitals of Japan
Asuka period